


Tonight, I Need You to Stay

by phunWorks



Series: If You Love Me, Let Me Go [1]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: You'll see where this is going, frenship, it's complicated - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-10-11 00:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10450710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phunWorks/pseuds/phunWorks
Summary: Part one of a series. One-offs that might lead to full chapters or just more one-offs.





	

The sun had disappeared below the earth, only a few remaining rays filled the sky. The clouds were pink and blue creating a character to the sky that would never be acceptable for any other time of the day. Birds were chirping their 'goodnights' to each other while resting in the nests of the trees and dry gutters on the neighbor's roof. Houses, trees and rocks lost detail and grew into outlines and silhouettes. The cement on the driveway grew cool under Josh as he sat alone watching the change over to night. Every breeze that blew past him seemed to leave another group of goose bumps on his uncovered arms and lower legs. The day's earlier rain was long gone with little signs of ever having happened outside of puddles. It did, however, leave behind air that made a mind and body feel as though it's been regenerated. Traffic had long since winded down and with only the occasional vehicle from the highway being heard over the nature around the boy in the red shirt, he was able to hear the sound of a basketball hitting asphalt from down the street. It was growing closer, the noise echoing off of the structures surrounding it, silencing the flightless birds in their nests and overtaking Josh's attention. Only when the other boy was standing at the end of his driveway was Josh able to see a bit more detail. He'd known who it was without having to look, though and simply nodded to Tyler. Tyler must've taken that as cue because he quit dribbling and sat next to the boy in the red shirt. Josh looked at the quiet boy sitting cross legged next to him. Tyler was wearing his black skinny jeans, signature multicolored hoodie and vans. The basketball was resting in his lap and his chin on the ball. The two boys didn't talk, just let night overtake them and surround them in uncertainty. The neighborhood was dark now and any minute Josh's mom would call him into go inside and surround himself with the suffocating structure. Josh never wanted to go inside.

"You know," Tyler started, breaking the silence. "At some point, we won't be able to do this anymore."

"I know," Josh said quietly. Josh felt his chest tighten and his breath grow shakey. "I'm not ready for that, Ty. I'm just not."

Josh felt a soft and reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You'll never be 'ready' for that. No one ever is, Josh and that's okay. You know I'll love you no matter what happens."

"Ty, please..." Josh's voice started breaking. "Please don't leave. Not tonight. I need you to stay, Ty." 

"Josh, I've told you. It's not going to be my choice. It won't be yours, either. They take us when they take us." Tyler's hand was off of his shoulder now and Josh heard him stand up. "Come on, let's go inside before your mom tells you to do it anyway." Josh stood up next to his best friend and walked back towards the porch. 

"Ty."

"Yeah?"

"You won't leave without waking me first, right? You'll say goodbye," Josh asked. His voice sounded ten years younger and more scratchy. 

Tyler put his arm around the boys shoulders, comforting him in ways that no one else could. "They'd have one hell of a fight coming if they didn't let me." 

Josh chuckled and nodded. "Thanks, Ty." 


End file.
